Night Guards Of Jos: How Women Defy Fear To Build Peace

By HAUWA MAGANA

A City Divided, A People Scarred

IN 2003, as violence spread across Jos, Blessing Emmanuel lost her home, her belongings, and the stability she once knew. Hers was not an isolated experience. Plateau State had already become synonymous with ethno-religious conflict, with clashes in 2001 and 2004 claiming thousands of lives.

Old grievances over land, history, and identity fueled divisions between Christian Bible Faith residents and their Muslim Rafinpa neighbours. The infamous indigene-settler divide deepened mistrust, erupting again in November 2008 during disputed local elections. That round of bloodshed left hundreds dead and further entrenched bitterness between the two communities.

Among the casualties was John Black, a youth leader whose death underscored the risks of peace work in times of unrest. His loss left a vacuum but also inspired women to step forward where men could no longer bridge divides.

Women Take the First Steps

In the aftermath, widows and mothers carried the responsibility of survival and healing. Small gatherings in secret homes became spaces for grieving, storytelling, and cautious dialogue.

What began as hushed meetings slowly turned into cross-community visits, with women daring to attend naming ceremonies and weddings in neighbourhoods once marked as hostile ground. The COVID-19 pandemic gave new urgency to their efforts, prompting a joint Christian-Muslim gathering in 2020 that rekindled bonds across the divide.

From that fragile start, a network of nearly 300 women emerged, 62 of whom remain active today. They meet monthly, not just to heal wounds but to plan practical steps for coexistence. Their peacebuilding echoes the principles of UNSCR 1325, but in Plateau it is not theory — it is survival.

Guardians of the Night

Determined to prevent fresh outbreaks of violence, the women took security into their own hands. Twenty of them, evenly drawn from Bible Faith and Rafinpa, now patrol at night armed only with sticks and flashlights.

“While the men and young people sleep, it is us women who keep watch,” said Blessing Emmanuel, who leads the group.

Their presence has deterred crime and fostered channels for intelligence-sharing. Quiet alerts between women across the divide have, on more than one occasion, averted new clashes. Yet challenges remain: criminals are rarely prosecuted, and official support from police is minimal.

Despite this, their efforts have not gone unnoticed. Community leaders credit them with easing tensions, while the Plateau State Peacebuilding Agency and groups like WANEP provide training and skills support. Crucially, between 2014 and 2023, Bible Faith and Rafinpa recorded no deaths from violent conflict.

Peace Against the Odds

From displacement and tragedy to leadership and resilience, the women of Jos North have turned personal loss into a collective mission. Their story illustrates that peace is not delivered from above but cultivated at the grassroots, where trust is painstakingly rebuilt.

In Plateau’s divided communities, women have become the night watch — guardians of fragile peace, proof that reconciliation is possible even in places long scarred by violence.